Goodwood's new season of flat racing set to begin in style

The racecourse features action on both Friday and Saturday to begin what should be another memorable season of racing on the South Downs.

In all 19 fixtures will be held over the season, including Three Friday Nights, the Qatar Goodwood Festival and the August bank holiday meeting.

Arkell, who is also clerk of the course, told us: “The track’s looking good – 15mm of rain last Wednesday helped though I can’t say we wouldn’t like a little more rain.

"The sun has come out to help the grass grow and we’re happy with where we are.

"We’re pleased with the quality and quantity of entries for Friday and Saturday – you’d also like a few more, of course – and it should be a great start to our season.”

Friday’s season opener begins at 1.25pm with the Racing To School Reaches 250,000 EBF Restricted Novice Stakes and ends at 5pm with the William Hill Epic Boost Handicap.

The programme includes the listed British Stallion Studs EBF Daisy Warwick Fillies' Stakes at 3.10pm.

There are a healthy number of 119 runners entered across Friday’s seven races ahead of final declarations, which will reduce the numbers on Wednesday.

On Saturday, the action starts with the William Hill Epic Value Handicap at 1.30pm and concludes with the UK Harvest Charity Handicap at 5.05pm.

Saturday’s feature race is the listed William Hill Conqueror Fillies' Stakes at 2pm, which will be shown live on ITV.

Saturday’s entries total 113 at this stage.

Arkell said staff had been watering since the start of April to make up for the fact there had been little rain, but said from now the ideal scenario would be sunny racedays with some rain in between to cut down on the amount of watering needed.

For tickets for Friday and Saturday – and later fixtures – see www.goodwood.com

Arkell said Goodwood had been represented at fixtures in Australia, Japan, Dubai, Hong Kong and in Europe in recent months as officials step up their bid to attract the world’s top horses, particularly to Glorious week at the end of July.

And he said they’d also been to Hungary – where the country’s racing heritage included links to the Goodwood Cup going way back to the 19th century.

Meanwhile, Goodwood has announced a close collaboration with RIXO for this year’s Qatar Goodwood Festival.

The vintage-inspired design house is the winner of this year’s Goodwood Talent in Fashion Award, in association with the British Fashion Council.

The Goodwood Talent in Fashion Award is held every year with the winning designer selected by a panel of judges that includes The Duke of Richmond, Caroline Rush, Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council, Sian Westerman, Non-Executive Director, of the British Fashion Council and Lydia Slater, Editor of Harper’s Bazaar. The pieces are kept at Goodwood House and form part of the Goodwood Collection.

The award, now in its fifth year, was created to recognise home-grown talent. This project will see RIXO design three show-stopping vintage-style gowns inspired by the textures and patterns within Goodwood House itself, perfectly fitting Qatar Goodwood Festival’s garden party style.

The three pieces designed by RIXO will be revealed during the Opening Ceremony of the Qatar Goodwood Festival and will provide an enchanting moment during the headline horseracing fixture, which is one of the highlights of the British Flat racing season and known throughout the country for its signature summer style.

In a first, RIXO will also design this year’s jockey silks for the Markel Magnolia Cup. This is the first time that the recipient of the prestigious Talent in Fashion Award will also be creating all 12 racing silk designs for the Markel Magnolia Cup riders.

The Duke of Richmond said: “We are thrilled that this year’s Goodwood Talent in Fashion winner, RIXO, will also be designing the silks for the Markel Magnolia Cup. Henrietta and Orlagh are designers that have embraced vintage style with a modern elegance that fits perfectly with Goodwood’s timeless fashion. I am delighted that Henrietta and Orlagh’s one-off designs will become part of the Goodwood Collection and we are looking forward to the unveiling of their Magnolia Cup silks.”